Oneida Nation 'disappointed' NFL stands by 'Redskins'

Oct. 30, 2013
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Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation represented, said he was "disappointed" by what he heard at Wednesday's meeting with NFL representatives about the Washington pro football club's continuining use of its team nickname that is offensive to the Oneidas. / Carolyn Kaster, AP

by Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports

by Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK --- Oneida Indian Nation representative Ray Halbritter characterized his meeting with NFL executives Wednesday afternoon as historic but ultimately disappointing.

The Oneida Nation operates an aggressive "Change the Mascot" campaign against the team name of the Washington pro football club, and several of its leaders met for about an hour with NFL officials in a building near Times Square. NFL senior executives Adolpho Birch, Jeff Pash and Paul Hicks attended; commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington team owner Daniel Snyder did not.

Halbritter said he appreciated the opportunity to meet but was "disappointed, to say it mildly," that NFL officials "continued to defend use of the slur." He said NFL officials at the meeting defended the team name on the basis of history, tradition and polling, many of the same arguments that Snyder presented in a letter to his team's fans recently.

The Oneidas released their own letter to Goodell that they presented at the meeting, outlining actions they believe the NFL should take:

*A meeting with all 32 NFL owners during Super Bowl week.

*A visit to the Oneida tribal homelands in Central New York by Goodell and Washington team officials.

*An amendment to league bylaws prohibiting teams from using dictionary-defined racial slurs as team names.

*Action by Goodell under section 8.13 of NFL bylaws that empowers him to move against any owner who is "guilty of conduct detrimental to the welfare" of the league, and further requesting that Goodell refer Snyder to the league's executive committee for possible sanctions for using a slur detrimental to the league's image. "If the Commissioner lacks the power to act," the letter says, "we request that you say so publicly."

The letter was accompanied by additional supporting materials, including an Oneidas-commissioned report by clinical psychologist Michael Friedman that lists systemic public health consequences on native populations that Friedman says are caused by use of the team name and a list of editorial boards, civic leaders and others who oppose use of the word.

In a statement, the NFL said, "We met at the request of Ray Halbritter of the Oneida Nation. We listened and respectfully discussed the views of Mr. Halbritter, Oneida Nation Wolf Clan Representative Keller George and their colleagues as well as the sharply differing views of many other Native Americans and fans in general. The meeting was part of an ongoing dialogue to facilitate listening and learning, consistent with the commissioner's comments earlier this year" that the NFL should listen to its critics on the issue if even one person is offended.

"Of course we were disappointed" that no minds were changed at Wednesday's meeting, Halbritter said. "We need to redouble our efforts, and that is what we are going to do."

Snyder has said that he will never change his team's name. The league has said team names are determined by the clubs.

The letter to Goodell, which is signed by Halbritter, says that the Oneidas look forward to more respectful conversations in the future. It concludes: "Our guiding ideals in these discussions are very simple: no group deserves to have as powerful and as culturally influential an organization as the NFL treat it as the target of a racial slur. As this country's first people, we deserve simply to be treated as what we are: Americans."